| Description | Minutes of a Committee established to plan and manage the process of implementing the Strategic Alliance between Westhill College of Higher Education and the University of Birmingham. It acted as the main interface between Westhill and the University prior to the formal commencement of the Alliance, and also coordinated the work of other groups planning integrated services, and considered any matters referred to it by Westhill or the University. It was intended that the strategic alliance would come into effect from 1 August 1999
Membership consisted of staff from Westhill College and of the Registrar and Secretary (convener); members of academic and administrative staff, including a representative from Legal Services on behalf of the University of Birmingham
Minutes of the first meeting, held on 19 January 1999, include a copy of the Heads of Agreement and set out the objectives of the strategic alliance. For the University of Birmingham the objectives were to provide further opportunities and facilities for greater access to higher education for non-traditional and under-represented groups, particularly in the West Midlands region; to provide for a wider provision of part-time programmes and for enhanced continuing education programmes; and to provide a focus for wider continuing professional development programmes at all levels. For Westhill College the objectives were to afford long term protection of the College's Mission; to provide financial stability for the future for the College and certainty for its staff and students; to provide a pathway for the further development and diversity of higher education activity at the College; and jointly to enable possible new developments to take place which might be appropriate within the context of the strategic alliance
The strategic alliance subsumed the previous accreditation arrangements between Westhill and the University. The activities of teacher training and certificate, diploma and degree programmes and any other awards delivered at Westhill via an accreditation arrangement with the University, together with any new awards, would derive directly from the degree awarding status of the University under the jurisdiction of its Senate. Westhill would retain a separate identify within the joint framework of the strategic alliance in order to provide continuity with its history and role, and to enable the alliance to pursue its distinctive mission in relation to widening access to higher education. The working title of the campus at Westhill would be Westhill College, The University of Birmingham. The Principal of Westhill College would become a Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham and would be an ex-officio member of Senate as well as a member of the Strategy, Planning and Resources Committee, and of Council, subject to Privy Council approval. The strategic alliance was contingent on appropriate arrangements being entered into with the Trustees of Selly Oak Colleges Endowment Trust, and any other interested parties in land and buildings to be used by the alliance
Minutes and supporting papers contain information about external relations and marketing strategy; discussed outstanding issues relating to the Heads of Agreement; the Academic Plan and Business Plan; implementation issues; Information Services issues relating to the Orchard Learning Resource Centre and library provision; Funding Council issues; legal issues; staffing matters; student matters; teaching accommodation issues; and the provision of effective IT links between the Westhill campus and the University
Minutes of the meeting held on 24 March 1999 contain a copy of a report on The Absorption of Continuing Studies Operations onto the University of Birmingham Westhill Campus which sets out space requirements and details of relocation. These minutes also contain papers relating to the transfer of staff employed by Westhill to the University's employment, and to discussions with trade unions. Minutes of the meeting held on 19 May 1999 include a revised version of the Westhill/Continuing Studies Academic Plan which included all work in the School of Continuing Studies and at Westhill College where collaboration could take place and to ensure that other areas of Westhill and Continuing Studies work were considered
The last meeting for which minutes survive was held on 9 June 1999. Internal evidence states that a further meeting was planned for 7 July 1999 but no later minutes have been transferred to the University Archives. It is likely that the Joint Implementation Group was disbanded after the strategic alliance came into effect from August 1999 |